Decisions, decisions: What Should I Do?

How many times have you been faced with a decision that you felt would change your life? Stress, anxiety, and an overwhelming fear of how this decision could change your future all play a part in the outcome.

Do you weigh out your options and maybe allow what’s more comfortable to take priority?

The best and most successful changes are the ones that make you step outside of your comfort zone.

Failure can occur at anytime, but, in the process, you learn and grow from mistakes which can in turn lead you to another opportunity.

“The key to making good decisions is balancing following your heart, or intuition, and listening to your head (logic and reason). Although you can never be sure of all the future outcomes of a big decision, nor should you try to be, one thing is certain: Nothing is worse than remaining in a state of indecision.”

Did you have a gut feeling about what choice to make, or a strong sudden feeling about what must be done? Also known as following your heart, listening to instincts, gut reactions, and intuitive guidance can help you make decisions that are in line with your deepest values and concerns. But be careful not to confuse intuition with emotional reactions — sudden clarity, not sudden anger, is a sign of your inner guidance at work.

While your gut reactions and instincts are important sources of intuitive guidance, make sure that you also look at the decision rationally, weighing the pros and cons of each possible choice to figure out what, realistically, makes the most sense for you. Balance out emotional reactions by using logic and making sure you’ve taken all relevant factors of the decision into consideration.

Do you see the possibility of regret or shame following from one of your possible choices? Will your actions potentially affect someone else in a negative way? If you’re struggling with a decision between something you want and something you feel that you should do, take time to consider how you will likely feel about yourself afterwards — and whether the choice is in line with the kind of person you’d like to be.

Your body can tell you a lot about whether you’re making the right decision. Do you feel tense or start experiencing anxious, racing thoughts when you talk or think about one of the options? When you’ve made the decision, does your body feel relaxed? Are you able to sleep well? Tuning into physical cues can help connect you to more unconscious feelings and instincts you may have about making a particular choice.

“Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?”

– Hunter S. Thompson

Bottom line? Every single day we are forced to make decisions – some more important than others. Choose what will lead the way to improvement. It may take time, but every step forward is a step in the right direction.

Thoughts, comments, questions? Email me, JennKaysen@gmail.com

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